My youngest is 8 and has taken to the raw (well, he is about 70 percent now, which is better than the older ones who can cook their food) really well.

Today he was home because he had his tonsils removed last week. I made him a cacao shake and he looked at me quite seriously and said:

"I want REAL food before I have a chocolate shake...I want BROCCOLI"

We laughed about it later, he and I.

I mean, how many second graders DEMAND a meal of raw broccoli before CHOCOLATE?

(of course, he's always thought of broccoli as a treat, even as a baby. For some reason, it is his favorite thing in the world)

awww glad to see he is doing better!! that is cute...good as long as he loves it keep feeding it to him....i think that is one of the sad things...when children are so young they usually love certain fruits or veggies and some people for convience stop giving them the good healthy stuff and give them the box or packaged stuff...so sad....but good for you YAY mom!!!!
love eartha ngel
xoxoxoxoxxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

when i wuz eight years old
and someone gave me a cacao shake

i would just

uh

TAKE IT!

hehehe, the 'problem' with this kid is that he doesn't like shakes or chocolate...he wants to make 'freshly squeezed juice' in the juicer. He is really picky, but tends to want to eat bananas, grapes, broccoli, and salad. Luckily, he isn't into rice (which is weird, because I am half Asian and the rest of the boys LOVE it), which makes it easier to trasition him.

My child has asthma, is ALLERGIC TO NEARLY EVERYTHING BUT HORSES and childhood obesity, caused by his father who fed him the WORST SAD DIET when I'd be gone on business trips (as well as from being cooked omni for the 6 mos prior to THAT); I also believe the 4 medications he takes DAILY are also to blame for the weight gain. I was working out of town for 2 months this year and my child gained 15 lbs when I was away! He'd already gained ten over the holidays, which was HORRIBLE for his health.

He is 8 yrs old, 4'5" and was 110 lbs when I arrived home in March. He'd developed a fatty cyst under his right arm and fell ill with mono and strep. Needless to say, I was SO SCARED. Since he started incorporating RAW into his diet 3 weeks ago, he has lost nearly 9 lbs. This morning he proudly told me that the scale said he was 101! He used to have horrible mucus and be constantly stuffy. Now he no longer needs his nasal spray each morning. He no longer has this constant sinus infection smell coming from his breath.

Unlike me or his father, he is much more disciplined in his approach to good health. A little Virgo, the child tells ME which things are good to eat or no. He is not much for cheating on his diet, though he still eats lunch at school. I am trying to make the transition as smooth as possible with little changes. Since there is only about a month of school left, I am hoping that over the summer he will be able to be off the SAD completely and on to a totally vegan eating regime.
Next year, I will have him bag lunch it. I just want to get him acclimated over the summer and get his health back on track.

I let him watch various RAW youtubes featuring raw children and have explained to him what symptoms his food allergies cause. All of this seems to have a tremendous effect on a kid who has spent so much of his childhood ill. He ALSO seeks health and want so badly to be like all the healthy children.

This raw thing is for my ENTIRE FAMILY. The books by the Boutenko's have been very inspiring. We could totally relate to them as a family.

(another thing that seems to have become the kid's mantra in my house is:

if you eat something DEAD, you have to put something LIVE in right away.)

My kid says we are 'fruit vampires' and that we 'must feed' so we can live forever...hehe. He calls the SAD kids 'mortals'.

He kinda has a HUGE imagination.

miaculpa... that is HALARIOUS!!!! SAD kids are mortals.... I will have to use this one with my kids.... I am slowly trying to get them to 70 percent.... though my oldest has to have his processed carbs.... my youngest is diggin it! I am not worried about combination, just happy he is eating FRESH AND GREEN!

They asked for a smoothie this morning *SHOCK* I made it without milk or yougurt.... they never questioned the change and asked for another. I am currently looking for kid friendly recipes... so if you have any good ones feel free to share with me.

I did one last night...which they loved.... I stuffed some of the raw almonds I had soaking into dried fig, then placed a dollop of almond butter on top with a dash of raw honey. They each had 3....and loved em!

I love the SAD mortal kids phrase. I am so glad to hear your boy is on the road to recovery.

Last night we dipped strawberries in honey with carob. It was really good. Yesterday for lunch we made a salad with spinach, strawberries, plums, mangos and grapes with a strawberry venaigrette. The kids loved it and wanted it again. Do you ever make spinach and banana smoothies? My kids love them, to my surprise. My little middle saiys they taste like chocolate.

theres some really neat things out there for kids; some books ive had a chance to read at my friends place who has raw and vegan kids;

Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon
and
The Organic Adventures of Tucker the Tomato

> My kid says we are 'fruit vampires' and that we
> 'must feed' so we can live forever...hehe. He
> calls the SAD kids 'mortals'.

lol... I'm stealing his line.. that's a good one.

THANKS FOR THE TIPS!

My problem with the youngest is that he LOVES his ranch and green goddess salad dressing. I've switched him to raw oatmeal and no dairy usually...he could easily do with only cooked vegetarian meats and salads and fruits in whole form. He doesn't like smoothies nor 'mixed' things.

My major prob is the 13 yr old boy who hates veggies and loves meat. He has a George Foreman grill and isn't afraid to use it. Things are looking up, though. He has been eating more salads and yesterday (after a bout with what he thought were hemorroids), that he is goin vegetarian. Whatever works! I won't force, but I won't buy junk in this house. If they want milk (for the older 2) or meat, I make sure only organic is brought in. My hubby slips up and buys regular sometimes because he is cheap and I LOSE MY MIND ON HIM.

The 17 yr old will eat raw and loves it. He, incidentally, is in the best shape of anyone in the house.

its too bad that he sees someone like george foreman (and his grill) as a model of health

maybe show him Frutarian 1's website ...

My one chance with the 13 yrs old is that he is SO VAIN. He is constantly worried about his weight/skin/GIRLS. His older brother's skin is clearing up thanks to the new diet, so he is starting to take notice. Luckily, he LOVES SMOOTHIES. I've been giving him shakes at every turn, so that he is too full to want junk or meat later. I show him all the buff people and their skin. I think it may eventually get him to come around somewhat...if the constipation and his fear of hemerroids doesn't get him to first. LOL

i think it is great that you all teaching your children the benefits of eating raw. although i have no children, i have 8 nieces and nephews(with 2 more on the way), i always encourage them to eat the fruits and veggies that always in my kitchen. it's amazing that now they ask for the yummy stuff instead of the junk that they get at school and sometimes in their own home. i'm just happy that i am
implementing good eating values. they are my future.....

This is interesting!
When my brother was little (and even still), he eats a big bowl of broccoli while watching movies, as though it is pop corn or chips.

Very sweet.
xxpeisi

oooh the 13 yr old OFFICIALLY announced that he was no longer eating meat!

However, getting him to live off of more than cereal and milk and oatmeal might take more doing.

He ate an entire pan of raw dehydrated cacao brownies when he came home from school

Peisnoe-that sounds like my little one! He does the same thing.

Cacao... nevermind I won't start that discussion.

It is great you are getting your kids more aware! I am a reverse case and have been vegan since 16 and harped on everbody about health... my mom is now almost vegetarian and eats lots of fresh juices, smoothies, steamed veggies, etc!!